Important: Citing Sources in MLA Format

As noted above, please research your work carefully by using trusted Internet and print resources. Remember Diana Hacker's rules for validating resources and apply them judiciously. More importantly, you need to enter as much information as possible into Wikispaces using your own words. Any time that you do not use your own words or material in the Key Note, you must cite your resources correctly. While you are gathering research on the Internet for your Key Note, you need to take note of the following:

1. Name of author(s)
2. Title of the website
3. Names of any editors
4. Date of publication
5. Name of any sponsoring organization
6. Date you found the website
7. URL of the website (ex: <http://www.google.com>)

Not every website will have all seven items listed above, but you need to write down as many as possible in the order listed above and then insert that information in parentheses at the immediate end of the material you enter. This will help you get in the practice of doing so when you have research papers later this year. Turnitin.com will be used for this assignment. In terms of MLA format below are some links that will help you out:

MLA FORMAT QUESTIONS
Questions about MLA Format?
Web-based program to help you with MLA formatting: Easybib.co

IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR YOU TO USE WIKIPEDIA AS A SOURCE when completing scholarly work. Below is a way in which you can evaluate web resources while conducting research.

Evaluating Web Resources
To facilitate your expertise, you will first need to learn how to research appropriate websites and texts. To ensure that your website is appropriate for historical research, you must ask the following questions and follow the same line of reasoning that a historian would use when evaluating historical sources.

Who is the author of the website?

Where did the author get this information?

How current and up-to-date is the website? How often is it maintained?

What bias may the author have when presenting this information?

Would I feel comfortable citing this website in a major essay or project? Would my classmates and teacher have confidence in this source?

For more guidance on evaluating the suitability of web resources, click on the following link: http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/tips.html.